CHAN 2018
Zambia 3-1 Uganda
State de Marrakech
Marrakech, Morroco
Uganda lost out to Zambia 3-1 in their opening group game of the 2018 CHAN championship.
The Cranes who are trying to get past the group stages for the first time in their history were out scored by the South African nation in arguably the most entertaining match of the tournament so far.
The Cranes started brightly with Allan Kyambadde firing directly at Zambia goalkeeper after wounderful peace of play on the left by Vipers’ Milton Karisa inside five minutes.
Zambia sent instant signals that they would not be easily out done as striker Lazarous Kambole pounced on a Timothy Awanyi poor peace of defending only to deflect his goal bound shot of the trailing leg of the culprit.
Karisa who had turned into a menace for the Zambian defence made a few interesting runs and crosses but could non of the later could get the desired end product.
Against the run of play, Zambia took advantage of Uganda’s sloppiness in possession as they broke quickly following Nicholas Wadada’s indecisivenes in the middle of the pitch as winger Ernest Mbewe crossed for Kambole to slot in through the legs of the on rashing goalkeeper Benjamin Ochan to make it 1-0 in the 38th minute.
Two minutes later, the ever so bright Milton Karisa broke down the left and crossed for Derrick Nsibambi who scored a beautiful bycical kick to level matters.
The eventful first half had one more goal action moment when Zambian captain Zeyo Tembo missed a free header after connected brilliantly with a cross with Uganda goalie Ochan stranded in no man’s land.
The opening minutes of the second half failed to live up to the standards set in the first until Zambia’s Augustine Mulenga made it 2-1 in the 62nd minute.
Cranes tried to reply instantly but after a good over lapping run by left back Isaac Muleme who drove in a low cross but no one connected and the ball went begging across the mouth of the goal.
Uganda conceded a third in the 71st minute when goalkeeper Benjamin Ochan failed to deal with a routine free-kick from 35 yards by Zambian defender Fakson Kakumbu which deflected of Tadeo Lwanga and the KCCA custodian helped it over his own goal line.
Zambia seemed to be content with what they had and allowed Uganda to come at them but Timothy Awanyi and substitute Nelson Ssenkatuka could not convert the only two half chances that the Cranes created later on.
Defeat for the Cranes means that they are bottom of group B with zero points as Zambia climb top equal on points with Namibia who had earlier shocke Ivory Coast.
Uganda’s next game will be against Namibia on the 18th before they take on Ivory Coast in the last group game four days later.
Other CHAN results and upcoming fixtures.
Morocco 4-0 Mauritania
Guinea 1-2 Sudan
Ivory Coast 0-1 Namibia.
Today.
Libya vs Equatorial Guinea
Nigeria vs Rwanda
Cranes team that started against Zambia.
1. Benjamin Ochan(Gk)
2. Nicholas Wadada
3. Isaac Muleme
4. Timothy Awanyi
5. Bernard Muwanga(c)
6. Tadeo Lwanga
7. Ibrahim Saddam Juma
8. Allan Kyambadde
9. Derrick Nsibambi
10. Muzamir Mutyaba
11. Milton Karisa.
